Valentino Rossi: The Game Review – Virtually Rossi

Every sport has a legend. A superstar who completely dominated on and off the field, track or ring. Boxing had Muhammed Ali, Formula 1 racing had Michael Schumacher and the Olympics had…shit, I don’t know? The Flash? I’m certain he’s real but whatever. Point is, none of these guys can compare to the success of Valentino Rossi. Easily the most dominant Italian on two wheels , Rossi is the legend of the MotoGP circuit, having claimed seven championships over the years.

Number 46 is forever linked to Rossi. When you talk about VR, it’s not Virtual Reality that you’re discussing. It’s Rossi and his many victories, his track rivalries with the best of the best such as Max Biaggi and Casey Stoner. Any developer who wants to create a game bearing VR 46 on the label, has a lot of work cut out for them in digitally transferring that legacy to an interactive experience. Something that developer Milestone has managed to both achieve and fail at.

Sounds confusing? Not really.

Here’s the good: Valentino Rossi The Game is an absolutely solid and capable tribute to the man himself. Anyone who buys this game, is most likely the kind of person who can’t wait to turn 46, owns a Yamaha motorcycle and wishes that they had a curly mop of hair. The core appeal of Valentino Rossi: The Game, is a legacy mode that looks back at Rossi’s best moments on the track.

Spread across 20 distinct races that stretches from Rossi’s first victory at the BRNO circuit in the Czech Republic to his first win on a Yamaha at the Phakisa Freeway circuit right here in good ol’ South Africa, the actual history behind each race is magnificent. There’s something special about the attention to detail, Rossi describing the race itself and offering tips for the track while archive footage plays out. Wonderful fan service, as players attempt to emulate the exact conditions that made Rossi a legend on the track.